


Leaving the Forest Behind

by hmweasley



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Gen, Injury, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:46:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29986536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hmweasley/pseuds/hmweasley
Summary: Hagrid saves Firenze after he agrees to teach Divination at Hogwarts.
Relationships: Firenze & Rubeus Hagrid
Kudos: 3





	Leaving the Forest Behind

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt:  
> Write about leaving someone or something behind.

A loud booming noise drew Firenze back to the commotion in the forest. Everything was fuzzy, andas much as he tried to pay attention, he couldn’t process what was happening around him. 

Hooves stomped against the ground until the booming voice spoke again. Firenze had regained just enough awareness to connect the voice to the groundskeeper Hagrid.

“Stay out of this, Hagrid.” Firenze was relieved to notice that Bane’s voice came from far away. “This is a centaur matter. It is not something for outsiders to involve themselves in.”

“You’re killing him,” Hagrid shot back, his voice even louder than before.

Firenze struggled to open his eyes. They threatened to fall shut immediately, but he caught a glimpse of Hagrid towering over him. He formed a barrier between Firenze and his former herd who had been trying to kill him.

“You have no authority here,” Bane said. “We have a right to police our own kind. Firenze has broken our laws, and he must face our punishment. It does not matter to us what outsiders think of our ways.”

“Like hell it does,” Hagrid shot back. 

He leant over and lifted Firenze, earning outrated gasps from the gathered centaurs. Even Firenze felt a rush of nausea just over the idea of being carried. It felt insulting, but he tried to stamp down the instinctual reaction. He couldn’t walk. Three of his legs had been badly injured; he could feel it without trying to walk. Hagrid’s assistance was the only way he’d make it out of the forest alive.

Fogginess threatened to overtake him again, but he fought to remain aware as Hagrid began carrying him in the direction of the castle.

“Don’t you even think about shooting me, Bane,” Hagrid called over his shoulder. “You wouldn’t enjoy the consequences.”

“Make sure the traitor never returns here, Hagrid,” Bane called to the retreating man’s back. “He knows what will happen if he does.”

Firenze did, and the knowledge sent another wave of nausea through him.

“Thank you, Hagrid.” His voice was raspy and weak, but by some miracle, Hagrid understood him.

“Don’t mention it,” he said, blushing slightly and not looking down at the centaur as he carried for. “Couldn’t let them kill you over something as ridiculous as that. Besides, Hogwarts really does need a Divination teacher. Wouldn’t do to lose a second one in just a day.”

Firenze knew that Hagrid’s excuses didn’t reveal the full reason why he’d come to Firenze’s rescue, why he’d even been paying enough attention to know when to intercept. The truth was that Hagrid was a kind soul who would have saved any living being or creature if it was needed. It was a trait of Hagrid’s that most of Firenze’s kind had no particular thoughts on, but Firenze had long admired it.

He craned his neck to glance back at where they had come from. These would be the last glimpses of his home. The castle would never compare to the trees and underbrush of the forest. While the idea of what might be to come thrilled him, he was also pained.

“You’ll love Hogwarts,” Hagrid said as they walked, mostly to fill space as opposed to actually having something to say. “There’s always something going on. Not all of it good, mind. Especially with that Umbridge woman around. But you’ll be working for the best wizard there is. And your students will love your lessons. Not many can say they’ve been taught Divination by a centaur. I never had much interest in the subject, but I know centaur Divination is a sight better than that of witches and wizards.”

“Both have their place,” Firenze rushed to add, hoping to cut off Hagrid’s continued rambling despite the fatigue that still enveloped his body. “We centaurs always look to the stars, but I believe there is value to all of the methods that witches and wizards use. We can benefit from sharing our knowledge with each other. But I must admit to being saddened leaving the forest behind. There is no better place from which to observe the sky.”

“Really?” Hagrid asked. “Seems like it’d be more difficult with all these trees around.”

Firenze smiled in spite of himself.

“You just have to know what to look for,” he murmured to himself as his eyes finally slipped closed again.

His dreams were filled with nothing except images of the home he would never see again.


End file.
